States with the Most (& Least) Gun Deaths [+ Causes]

Welcome to our comprehensive article on “States with the Most (& Least) Gun Deaths [+ Causes].”

In this informative piece, we delve into the alarming disparities of gun deaths across different states, uncovering the highest and lowest numbers while examining the underlying causes behind this pressing issue.

We explore a range of key topics, including societal factors, legislation, and access to mental health services. Our aim is to shed light on the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address this complex problem. To take a proactive step and ensure your safety, enter your ZIP code below to compare rates from the best insurance providers in your area. Let’s work together for a safer future.

Here are some gun violence stats that were taken from the CDC gun deaths database:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deaths due to gun violence rose by 16.5 percent between 2007 and 2017, countering a long-term downward trend. In 2017 alone, there were 39,773 firearm fatalities nationwide, a rate of 12 fatalities per 100,000 residents.

Most firearm fatalities are the result of suicide, homicide, unintentional injuries, or interactions with law enforcement (legal interventions).

While the rates of unintentional injuries, legal intervention, and other less common forms of firearm fatalities have remained relatively flat over the past decade, the rate of firearm-related suicides and firearm-related.

Suicide now represents nearly 60 percent of all firearm fatalities, accounting for 23,854 deaths in 2017.

Although firearm violence is a nationwide issue, the firearm fatality rate varies widely by location. At the state level, certain Midwest and Southern states suffer firearm fatality rates that are 1.5 to two times the national average.

Conversely, Northeast and West Coast states tend to experience lower levels of gun violence. The following graphic is a gun violence by state map which looks at gun violence statistics by state.

To find which individual states have the highest and lowest firearm fatality rates, our researchers at U.S. Insurance Agents analyzed the cause of death data from the CDC’s WONDER database. To make the data comparable across states, all death rates are age-adjusted and expressed per 100,000 residents.

Additionally, for each state, our researchers identified the 10-year change in firearm deaths, the most common cause of firearm death, the racial group with the highest firearm fatality rate, as well as the county with the highest firearm fatality rate.

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Now, here are the states with the highest and lowest gun fatality rates.

10 States with the Highest Firearm Death Rates

#1 – Alaska

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 24.5 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 35.4%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 180
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: American Indian or Alaska Native
• Most impacted county: Anchorage Borough (24.6 per 100k)

#2 – Alabama

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 22.9 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 32.4%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 1,124
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Tie: Talladega County, Russell County (34.2 per 100k)

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#3 – Montana

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 22.5 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 64.2%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 244
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: Cascade County (24.6 per 100k)

#4 – Louisiana

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 21.7 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 9.0%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 1,008
• Most common cause of firearm death: Homicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Orleans Parish (38.2 per 100k)

#5 – Mississippi

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 21.5 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 17.5%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 632
• Most common cause of firearm death: Tie: Homicide, Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Washington County (46.5 per 100k)

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#6 – Missouri

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 21.5 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 68.0%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 1,307
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: St. Louis County (56.8 per 100k)

#7 – Arkansas

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 20.3 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 34.4%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 613
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Jefferson County (49.9 per 100k)

#8 – Wyoming

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 18.8 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 27.9%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 113
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: Laramie County (20.8 per 100k)

#9 – West Virginia

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 18.6 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 31.9%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 348
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: Mercer County (30.1 per 100k)

#10 – New Mexico

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 18.5 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 24.2%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 394
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: Otero County (30.2 per 100k)

10 States with the Lowest Firearm Death Rates

#1 – Hawaii

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 2.5 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 0.0%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 39
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: NA

#2 – New York

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 3.7 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: -27.5%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 772
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Erie County (7.6 per 100k)

#3 – Massachusetts

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 3.7 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 2.8%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 262
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Hampden County (8.6 per 100k)

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#4 – Rhode Island

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 3.9 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 14.7%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 43
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: Providence County (4.1 per 100k)

#5 – Connecticut

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 5.1 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 24.4%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 188
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Hartford County (6.3 per 100k)

#6 – New Jersey

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 5.3 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 1.9%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 478
• Most common cause of firearm death: Homicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Essex County (12.1 per 100k)

#7 – California

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 7.9 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: -11.2%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 3184
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Mendocino County (21.3 per 100k)

#8 – Minnesota

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 8.2 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 26.2%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 465
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Ramsey County (9.7 per 100k)

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#9 – Nebraska

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 8.3 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 5.1%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 160
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: White
• Most impacted county: Douglas County (8.5 per 100k)

#10 – Iowa

• Firearm death rate (age-adjusted): 9 per 100k
• 10-year percent change: 80.0%
• Total firearm deaths 2017: 293
• Most common cause of firearm death: Suicide
• Most impacted race/ethnicity: Black or African American
• Most impacted county: Polk County (10.5 per 100k)

All States Ranked by Gun Deaths

If your state was not in either of the lists above, you might be anxious to find out how bad (or not) gun deaths are in your state. The following table is a complete ranking of gun deaths by state from Alaska to Hawaii.

It looks at gun deaths per year in the US both in terms of states and holistically. Through the gun violence statistics per year (specifically 2017), we can see that it is a serious problem.

States with the Most Gun Deaths

Methodology: Determining the Ranking for Gun Deaths by State

All gun death statistics were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control’s WONDER database. Age-adjusted death rates were obtained for all deaths caused by firearms in 2007 and in 2017, the most recent year for which information is available.

The change in the death rate was calculated as the percent change in the age-adjusted death rate between 2007 and 2017. All death rates are reported as the number of deaths per 100,000 residents.

This statistic levels the playing field and makes sure that the “worst states for gun deaths” are not just the states with the largest populations. This method of statistical analysis might also be thought of as:

• States with the most gun deaths per capita
• States with the most gun violence per capita

For the purpose of this analysis, persons of Hispanic or Latino descent were categorized as a separate racial group independent from non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks or African Americans, non-Hispanic Asians or Pacific Islanders, and non-Hispanic American Indians or Alaskan Natives.

Between 2007 and 2017, South Dakota had the largest jump in the firearm death rate, with an increase of over 91 percent.

By contrast, New York, California, and the District of Columbia all had decreases in the firearm death rate over this time period.

Overall, the states with the highest increases in firearm fatalities from 2007 to 2017 are located in the North, with states like New Hampshire, South Dakota, Montana, and Maine all experiencing increases over 50 percent.

In addition, some demographics are more adversely affected by gun violence than others. Specifically, African Americans suffer the highest firearm fatality rate at 23.2 deaths per 100,000, nearly double the national rate.

At a more granular level, African Americans are the most impacted racial group in 35 states. Conversely, Asians and Hispanics are the least likely groups to be victims of gun violence.

With three out of every 10 Americans owning a firearm, gun culture is still deeply ingrained in American society. High levels of gun ownership, as well as partisan divides, have made legislative action difficult in curtailing the rising number of gun-related deaths.

However, data from Pew Research shows that strong majorities of both gun owners and non-owners support certain policies to prevent gun violence. In particular, both gun owners and non-owners support limiting gun access for people with mental illnesses and individuals who are on the federal no-fly or watch lists.

Furthermore, most gun owners and non-owners support background checks for gun purchases made through private sales and at gun shows. Ultimately, thwarting gun violence will likely require cultural and legislative changes at the local, state, and national levels.

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